Oxford is known worldwide as the home of the University of Oxford, the oldest university in the English-speaking world. The university itself is scattered throughout the city center, interspersed among buildings representing every English architectural period since the late Saxon period. Several buildings, including Radcliffe Camera, were even designed by the great Sir Christopher Wren. Oxford is known as the "city of dreaming spires." Fans of Inspector Morse and Harry Potter will recognize this backdrop as both series were often filmed using Oxford and its colleges as prime locations.

The city of Oxford is about an hour and fifteen minute bus ride from Heathrow airport and the city of London. Busses travel between Oxford and London frequently throughout the day and evening, making Oxford very accessible both to London and, via Heathrow Airport, the world.

In addition, many famous authors have called Oxford their home, including JRR Tolkien, CS Lewis, Philip Pullman, Thomas Hardy, and Oscar Wilde.